Aeroplane



' S. HORN ET AL AAAAAAA NE Filed Aug. 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 4, 1928, 1 1,694,177

5. HORN ET AL AEROPLANE Filed Aug. 8, 1927 2 SeetsSheet 2 .Qij.

Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. j

SIGMUND HO RN A1D MAXIMILIAI ZIZPKES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AEBPLNE.

Applicationflled August 8, 1927. Sefial No. 211,350.

poses; The resent device includes the ordinary parts an aeroplane such as the wings or planes, fuselage, motor and steering apparatus, and the present invention is applied as an additional feature to the aeroplane. While the invention is applicable to either a monoplane or biplane, we have shown it in the drawings as applied to an ordinary type of biplane. The invention consists in applying to the plane or wing of the aeroplane, preferabl the upper one if it is a biplane, a sheet 0 material, p1eferably in the nature of a textile fabric which may be folded down fiat against the surface of the lane, or be lifted up or Separated from the p ane to form a pocket through which the air rushes between the plane and the fabric. means is provided, convenient to the flier, for placing thefabric referred to either in What may be called the open or the closed position. When the fabric is in what might'- be called the closed position, it lies close to or fiat to the open surface of the plane and performs no funetion, so that the aeroplane 0 is then operated as if the device were not present. When the device is in the open position it co-operates with the plane or one of the planes to form a pocket through which the air rushes, the pocket being open at the front and back; and in the preferrd construction the pocket decrases in width f rom the front towards the back; and further, in.

the preferred form the depth of the pocket be tween the plane and the top of the fabric decreases from the forward portion towards the rearward portion. When the device is in the open dr operative position the fabric forms an additional sustaining surface, and by reason of the shape of the pocket the air rushing through it Will prevent the aeroplane from making a nose dive at suchan angle-and speed as Will cause the destruction of the aeroplane and injury to the operator. In the event the aviator meets with difiiculties during fiying, for instance, if the motoi should stall,there is a tendenc for the aenopla ne to go into a nose dive with disastrous results. With the Suitable present device, hoWever, eveh thogh the v motor should stall the aviator may place the present device into open or operative position, and the device Will prevent a dangerous nose dive while the aviator is making a landing.

The device is also useful When taking off the ground because it increases the total lifting area beyond the point for which the usual Wing or plane surface is designed. Due to. the folding or collapsing character-of the device, it may be'put into use at any time where conditions make it desirable, or it may be folded into inoperative position,allowing the plane to function as if the dviceWere not .present, so that at all tiines the device is With in the control of the aviator. Other advantages Will be apparent. from the following detailed description of our invention.

In the drawings forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aeroplane to Which our invention is applied,

Figure 2 'is a perspectve view of a section ofone of the frame members which is attached to the wing of the aeroplaiw,

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the wings of the aeroplane, showing the device applied thereto.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the fabric, forming part -of the device, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the frame Which is applied to the top of the aeroplane.-

In the drawings we have shown an ordinary type of biplane, although as stated above our invention is not limited in its application to a biplane, as it may be equally well applied to a monoplane. Where applied to a biplane, the device is preferably attached to the upper or top plane in preference tothe lower plane. v

In the drawings we have shown the biplane composed of the lower plane 2 and an u per plane 3, Connected by any type of strut framework 4. In addition there is shown a fuselage 5 in the forward and of which is the driving propeller 6 and on the rear are the elevating rudders 7 and the lateral rudder 8.

As far as these portions of the aeroplane are concerned, they may conform to present v ing point of the practice and are subject to all of the modificationsof the presenttypes of aeroplanes. As stated above, our invention is preferably applied to the upper plane 3. We have shown' bars 9, 10 which are preferably of triangular cross section, attaelio l along the upper surface of the plane 3, and arranged adjacent the opposite ends of this plane. These bars are shown two in number and arranged so that they are separated a greater distance near.the forward edge of the plane 3 and converge toward the rear edge of the plane, so that at their rear ends they are doser than at their forward ends. Preferably theyextcnd be yond, or project from the rear end of the plane 3. These bars, in addition to their eonverging relation, preferably arched to conform to the arched upper surface o f the plane3, to which surface they closely adhere.

The remaining portions of the frame of the pressent device consist of rods 11, e0nnected each at one end with the forward end of one of the bars 9, 10, and these rods extend, up wardly over the forward edge of the plane 3 and converge at a point over the middle line of this plane and are connected by a suitable coupling 12 with each ot-her. There is a third rod 13 connected at its rear end with a cross 1nembcr 14 which latter is contiguous with and connected between the bars 9, 10. The rod 13 extends upwardly and 'forwardly in inelined relation to the plane 3and it is connected at its forward end With the coupling 12 whieh unites the ends of the bars 11.

The flexible sheet 15 may consist of fabric or other pliable material and is shaped somewhat in aceordance with the contour of the frame of the present device. This'sheet is shown ashaving apertures 16 a1ong two of its side edges and there is a lacing 17 passing alternately through these apertures in the sheet and the apertures 18 in the bars 9, 10 so that the side edges of this sheet are conneeted by the lacing with these side bars. W e prefer to make this lacing of rubber or other el'astic material whieh Will be extended to some extent by the pressure of the air under the Sheet 15 when it is in oprative position and which lacing will tend to draw out the sheetto lie close to the top of the plane 3 when.the de- Vice is out of operative position. In other words, with the lacing of elastic material the side edges of the sheet 15 may draw inwardly or away from the bars 9, 10 under the action of the wind pressure on the sheet 15 When in operation.

There is a-guiding rope or cable 19 connected with the coupling member 12 at the meetseveral bars 11, 13, and this extends downwardly past the forward edge of the plane 3 and its lower end is connected with a member 20 which is attached to the.

forward portion of the fuselage. This cord or cable aets as a guide for the forward clge of the sheet 15. The forward portion of the sheet is shown as having diverging edges 21 terminating in the forward point 22 at the middle of the sheet, and at this point the sheet is provided With a pnlley 23 which is guided on the guiding rope 19. There is a pulley 24 attached to the'coupling inen1her 12, this pulley l1aving two grooVes for guiding the rope 25. The ends of. this rope bang down in position to be grasped by the aviator in the fuselage and we have shown handles 26 on the opposite ends of this rope. The rope is formed in two runs, oach cxtending first X erticaily upwardly front the handles 26, thence over the pulley 24, and thence outwardly and 'downwardly, then 100p through the pu lley 27 on the forwaid end of the fuselage. One run of this; r'ope between the pulleys 24, 27 is attached to the bracket 28 Whi(th carries the pulley 23 on the forward edge of the fabric.

0pemtion.

When the device is not in operation it Will lie in the position shown in Figure 1, in which case the sheet 15 will be held lowered at its forward end, the aviator having pulled on one of the handles 26'to draw the pulley 23 clownwardly along the guiding rope 19 until the forward edge of the sheet projects oVer and hugs the forward edge of the.plane 3. The tension of the lacing members 17 causes the remainder of the sheet to hug closely to the upper surface of the plane 3. In this condition the device performs no function and the aeroplane may be flown as if the device wcre not present.

Any time it is dsiredto place the device into operation the aviator draws on one of the handles 26 whichever one is necessary to more the pulley 23 upwardly toward the top of the frame, that is, toward the coupling member 12. This action lifts the leading edge of the sheet 15 at the center upwardly, so that the center portion of the sheet is spaced somedistanee from the top surface of the plane 3; and by reason of the shape of the sheet the top central line Will converge toward the surface of the plane 3 from th( forWard end toward the rearward end of the sheet. Theelasticity of the lacin members 17 alloWs the central portion of 1; e sheet to be lifted in the inanner described, the sides of the sheet being drawn somewhat inwardly in this operation. When the central portion 'of the sheet has been lifted in the manner deand plane -and passihg out at the rear edges thereof. If the space betwn the plane 3 and the sheet 15 is convergng, as shown ir. the dmwing, the angle of incidence with which the. air acte upon the sheet' 15 Will be difioront to the angle of incidence upon the plane 3. If by reason of the angle of the aeroplano there is no rosistance to its down' ward flight by the air on the plane 3, thoro will be at least sonne rosistanco to the same because the angle of incidence of the sheet is difforent from that of the plane 3. If, thereforo, the plane has a tendency to make a nose divoby roason of the motor having stallod,or for any othof roason, th arooplane will not et out of control or mako such a rapid noso d1Ve as to force it downwardly at a dangerous rate. If the space through Which the air passes betwoon the plane 3 and woight in ordor not to add the shoot 15 decroasos, as shown in the drawing, thoro will be sufliciont incroaso in head resistance which will also serve to piovont a dangorous nose divo. Thoroforo, in making a landingthe aviator may place the shoot 15 into oporativo position in the mannor doscribed, in order to provont a dangorus nos;e dive, and possiblyturning over of the plane. On the other hand, at the time of taking off from the ground, the shoot .may be put into oporativo position in order to tomporarily incroase the lifting. surface by adding the offect of the lifting surface of the sheet 15 to that of the plane, or planes, so that the aoro plane may tako ofi' aftor a shortor ground run than if the prosont devico wore not employed and Whon the plane has roachod any dosirod ole,vatiOn the shoot may be placod in the inoporative position by pulling the nocessary handle 26. This latter ope1ation will cause the pulley 23 to be drawn down by the rope 25 along the guiding rope 19 until the forward edge of the sheet 15 is slightly below the front odge of the plane 3 and until theshoet lies close against the upper surface of this plane. It will be apparent, thoroforo, that the shoot 15 may be placod into oporativo or inoporativo position at the will of the aviator to moet various conditions, oither in flying, landing or taking ofl.

Tho prosont dovico is simple, inoxponsivo, and it may be made oomparativoly light in groatly to the total woight of the aeroplane.

Having doscribod our invention, what we daim is:

1. In an aeroplano the combination of a plane and a pliablo'momber adaptod to be foldod closol againsttho top surface of-said plane, or to o extendod in position to form an air passage botwoon the top of said plane and said membor, said pliable membor whon in foldod position having a central portion adapted to projoct forwardly and downwardly over the loading edge of said plane.

2. In an aoroplane the combination of a plane and a shoot adapted to be foldod closoly against the top surface of said plane, or to be.

oxtendod in position to form an air passage botweon the top of said Plane and said shoot, olast1c means for drawmg on the opposite purposo sot forth.

3. In an aeroplane the combination of a plane, bars oxtond1ng across the uppor sur-,

face of said plane, front to roar thoroof, ad-

jacent the. opposite onds of said piano, a flexible shoot having its opposite odges ongagod with said bars, and moans for raising and loworing the central portion of said shoot to place it oither in close relation to the top surface of said plane, or to extend it in position whoro the air will act on said shoot for the 4:. In an aoroplano the combination of a plane, barsextending across the upper surface of said plane, front t0 roar thoreof, and

divorging in relation to each othor, and adjacent the opposite ends of said plane, a flexible shoot having its opposite odgos engagod with 'said bars, and moans for raisin and loworing the central portion of said s eot to place it oithor in close relation to the top surface of said plane, or to extend it in position where the air will act on said shoot for the purpose set forth.

5. In an aoroplano the combination of a plane, an angular frame oxtonding upwardly from the t0 surface of said plane .With its highost portion locatod midway of the width of said plane, a flexible shoot having moans for holding the side edges thereof adjacent said plane, and means associatod with said framo for raising and loworing the central portion of said shoot.

6.In an aoroplan the combinatiOn of a plane, a framo inoluding bars adjacent the forward odgo of said plane, arranged to converge upwardly from the plane to a point midway of the-length of said plane, a shoot and incans for ongaging the side odges thereof, a guiding membor 'Xtonding fronftho higher-contral portion of said frame downwardly and forwardly and connected to the nocting said attaching membors and the side edgos of said'sheot and moans for olevating and loworing the middle portion of said shoot for the purpose of reating an air passage betweon the top of said plane and said shoot,

or for plaoing said shoet'in collapsed posi-' tion upon said plane...

8. In an aoroplane .tho combination of a plane and a pliable membor adapted to o foldod closoly against the top surface of said plane or to be oxtondod in position to form,

fuselage, means on the central forwardedgo an air passage between the top,of said plane the lower portion towards the rear of said and said member nndmeans fi holding said plane. member in extended position whereby an air Signed at the city,.county and State of New passage is formed betweexi said plane and York, the 28th day of J une, 1927.

5 said member extending entrely lengthwise r between said plane and said member, said air SIGMUND HORN. space being 0f decreasng vertical extent with MAXM. ZIPKES. 

